Atmosphere control composition

Abstract

The atmosphere control composition according to the present invention is an atmosphere control composition for use in the culture of cells, which comprises (a) an ascorbic acid component, (b) water, (c) a porous carrier, (d) an aldehyde-removing agent, (e) a transition metal catalyst and/or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide, wherein the aldehyde-removing agent comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of ethylene urea, urea, arginine, lysine hydrochloride and a polyallylamine. According to the present invention, the atmosphere control composition feasible for preventing the generation of aldehyde can be provided without affecting the oxygen absorption ability and the carbon dioxide generation ability thereof.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An atmosphere control composition for use in the culture of cells, comprising a blend of:
 (a) an ascorbic acid component, 
 (b) water, 
 (c) a porous carrier, 
 (d) an aldehyde-removing agent, wherein said atmosphere control composition contains 0.5 to 25 parts by mass of the aldehyde-removing agent as the ingredient (d) based on 100 parts by mass of the ascorbic acid component (a), and 
 (e) a transition metal catalyst and/or an alkaline earth metal hydroxide, 
 wherein the aldehyde-removing agent is ethylene urea, urea, arginine, lysine hydrochloride or a polyallylamine. 
 
     
     
       2. The atmosphere control composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the ingredient (e) comprises a transition metal catalyst and at least two alkaline earth metal hydroxides. 
     
     
       3. The atmosphere control composition according to  claim 2 , wherein the alkaline earth metal hydroxides to be used are magnesium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide. 
     
     
       4. The atmosphere control composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said blend of (a), (b), (c) and (d) contains:
 100 parts by mass of an ascorbic acid component as the ingredient (a), 
 100 to 200 parts by mass of water as the ingredient (b) based on 100 parts by mass of the ascorbic acid component, 
 50 to 400 parts by mass of a porous carrier as the ingredient (c) based on 100 parts by mass of the ascorbic acid component, and 
 5 to 25 parts by mass of a transition metal catalyst, 1 to 10 parts by mass of magnesium hydroxide and 20 to 40 parts by mass of calcium hydroxide as the ingredient (e) based on 100 parts by mass of the ascorbic acid component, 
 wherein the oxygen concentration in a gas impermeable airtight container may be adjusted to the range of 0.1% by volume or less and the carbon dioxide concentration to the range of 2 to 10% by volume by housing said composition into said airtight container. 
 
     
     
       5. The atmosphere control composition according to  claim 1 , comprising only the alkaline earth metal hydroxides as the ingredient (e). 
     
     
       6. The atmosphere control composition according to  claim 1 , comprising
 100 parts by mass of an ascorbic acid component as the ingredient (a), 
 100 to 200 parts by mass of water as the ingredient (b), 
 50 to 400 parts by mass of a porous carrier as the ingredient (c), 
 0.5 to 25 parts by mass of an aldehyde-removing agent as the ingredient (d), and 
 20 to 55 parts by mass of an alkaline earth metal hydroxide as the ingredient (e), 
 wherein the oxygen concentration in a gas impermeable airtight container may be adjusted to the range of 1 to 7% by volume and the carbon dioxide concentration to the range of 2 to 10% by volume by housing said composition into said airtight container. 
 
     
     
       7. The atmosphere control composition according to  claim 1 , comprising a transition metal catalyst as the ingredient (e) and further a carbonate salt as the ingredient (f). 
     
     
       8. The atmosphere control composition according to  claim 1 , comprising
 100 parts by mass of an ascorbic acid component as the ingredient (a), 
 100 to 200 parts by mass of water as the ingredient (b), 
 50 to 400 parts by mass of a porous carrier as the ingredient (c), 
 0.5 to 25 parts by mass of an aldehyde-removing agent as the ingredient (d), 
 5 to 25 parts by mass of a transition metal catalyst as the ingredient (e), and 
 10 to 70 parts by mass of a carbonate salt as the ingredient (f), 
 wherein the oxygen concentration in a gas impermeable airtight container may be adjusted to 12 to 18% by volume and the carbon dioxide concentration to 2 to 10% by volume by housing said composition into said airtight container. 
 
     
     
       9. The atmosphere control composition according to  claim 1 , additionally comprising a thermoplastic resin. 
     
     
       10. The atmosphere control composition according to  claim 1 , wherein a porous carrier as the ingredient (c) is activated carbon. 
     
     
       11. An atmosphere control package which comprises packaging the atmosphere control composition according to  claim 1 , with a packaging material totally or partly containing an air permeable packaging material. 
     
     
       12. A method for culturing cells which comprises setting up the atmosphere control package according to  claim 11  and a culture vessel having cells and a culture medium housed therein within a gas impermeable airtight container and thus culturing the cells by adjusting the carbon dioxide concentration in said airtight container to the range of 2 to 10% by volume. 
     
     
       13. The method for culturing cells according to  claim 12 , wherein the concentration of aldehyde fused into the culture medium is adjusted to the range of 2 mg/l or less.